CLEVELAND — The current Knicks squad brings back memories of the iconic teams from the 1970s for legends like Clyde Frazier and Spike Lee.

It’s no surprise, then, that both are optimistic about ending the team’s 53-year championship drought, regardless of whether they face the Thunder or the Spurs in the finals.

“With the way we’re playing now, I don’t think it matters who the opponent is,” Frazier remarked after the Knicks’ dominating 130-93 victory over the Cavs on Monday, securing their spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. “Our defense is relentless, and the ball movement is exceptional. Coach Mike Brown wanted a fast-paced game, and initially, that wasn’t happening. But in the past 11 games, the pace has picked up. Bridges and Hart are just unstoppable on the court.”

Spike Lee, the quintessential Knicks superfan, shares a similar sentiment about the team that has set a new franchise record by winning 11 straight playoff games. They’ve dominated the Eastern Conference.

“San Antonio or OKC, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to win,” Lee declared, reminiscing about May 8, 1970, when the Knicks won their first championship. “I was at the Willis Reed game at 13 years old. This team is driven by destiny, heart, and determination. They remind me of legends like Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Dick Barnett, and Cazzie Russell. I’m going back in time, but that’s okay, I’m getting up there in age.”

Frazier, arguably the greatest Knick in history, fittingly handed the conference finals MVP trophy to Jalen Brunson on Monday. It was a passing-the-torch moment alongside another Knicks legend, Patrick Ewing.

But as Frazier explained, the job’s not finished.

“It’s been a long time. Carrying on a tradition. Passing it down to Jalen so he’s the guy now who has to carry it,” Frazier said. “But you got to capitalize when you get there. So we’re going to stay on him. As Red Holzman would tell us at this point, ‘Hey, Clyde, we haven’t won nothing yet.’ ”

A U.S. Senator found themselves caught in a cloud of tear gas as protests erupted into chaos outside an ICE facility in New Jersey on Monday. The incident followed the state’s governor being blocked from entering the site, a move the Department of Homeland Security dismissed as a ‘political stunt.’

Protesters opposing ICE have been actively demonstrating at Delaney Hall in Newark for several days, sparked by a hunger and labor strike initiated by hundreds of detainees within the facility, reported The New Jersey Monitor.

The facility has become a hotbed of controversy during the second Trump administration, with numerous Democratic lawmakers calling for its shutdown due to alleged substandard conditions.

Detainees have raised serious complaints, alleging they were served meals tainted with worms, kept in overcrowded and unventilated rooms, and had their immigration cases ignored by federal judges, with some held for up to a year.

On Monday, Governor Mikie Sherrill and Senator Andy Kim, accompanied by several members of the state’s Democrat-heavy Congressional delegation, arrived at the facility demanding explanations.

While Kim was allowed in the building, shortly after he was hit by pepper balls shot out by federal agents at those protesting.

‘What we saw here is unfortunately just what we see all over the country,’ Kim told NJ.com, adding that he had trouble breathing.

Kim – who said earlier Monday the facility should be shut down ‘immediately’ – said before the melee broke out that he was trying to get the agents to stop pointing guns at protesters and broker a truce that would allow immigration activists to inspect cars leaving the facility. 

Democratic US Senator Andy Kim (pictured) was tear gassed at a protest outside an ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey

A protester is recovering from tear gas outside Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark

‘It’s sad, it’s a sad day,’ he added.

When contacted by the Daily Mail, Kim spoke in somewhat general terms about what he witnessed during his oversight visit.  

‘I saw chaos inside and outside of the ICE detention center Delaney Hall today. Detainees protesting the lack of due process, the disgusting food and poor treatment while their families and advocates stood outside calling for help,’ he said. 

‘Instead of engaging with me and others about the poor conditions, ICE sent in an armored vehicle and a line of armed agents that only poured gasoline on the fire. Civilians were tackled and restrained, and agents fired pepper balls and spray into the crowd. This is more of the same lawlessness we’ve seen elsewhere around the country.’

Kim demanded ‘accountability’ from the Trump administration and a closure to the facility, which he called a ‘failure.’ 

‘Delaney Hall is a failure; it’s this administration’s failure. The only way to make this right for our communities is to shut it down and make sure the failures we’ve seen never happen again.’

A DHS spokesperson told The Daily Mail that ‘no individuals were directly struck by pepper ball projectiles.’

They claimed that rioters were obstructing federal agents from getting out of Delaney Hall and had given multiple legal commands to clear the area.

An anti-ICE protester confronts a federal agent during a demonstration at Delaney Hall

Senator Andy Kim assists a protester

When they refused, DHS claimed officers ‘followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.’

‘The First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly – not rioting. DHS is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters.

‘We remind the public that rioting is dangerous—obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony.’

A spokesperson for Governor Sherill told The Daily Mail that she spoke to Kim earlier Monday evening and criticized the treatment by federal agents. 

‘He is a sitting US Senator with a right to oversight of this federal facility, and he should be able to freely access it without being harmed,’ Steve Sigmund said.  

Earlier in the day, Sherrill expressed outrage over not being allowed inside the facility. 

Sherrill, who has also demanded the facility be closed, said that Homeland Security’s denial of access suggests they are hiding something. 

‘My request for access to Delaney Hall was formally denied this morning, raising serious questions about what they are trying to hide from public view,’ she said.

Earlier in the day, Governor Mikie Sherrill (pictured left) expressed outrage over not being allowed inside the facility

Protesters have hounded outside the facility for days amid a hunger and labor strike launched by hundreds of detainees

She added that she spent the day speaking with family members of those detained who described conditions that were ‘heartbreaking.’ 

‘The people inside Delaney Hall are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and members of our community,’ she said. 

‘In New Jersey, we believe in the rule of law and that everyone deserves to be treated with basic dignity. We have a duty to safeguard the rights, health, and well-being of everyone within our borders.’ 

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to The Daily Mail that Senator Kim was allowed into Delaney Hall ‘to conduct his congressional oversight responsibilities.’

However, they slammed Governor Sherrill for allegedly making a difficult day for ICE and the facility even worse.  

‘Governor Sherrill’s visit to Delaney Hall is nothing more than a political stunt on Memorial Day when visitation is currently suspended due to riots outside the facility,’ a spokesperson told The Daily Mail. 

They said that on Sunday, around 125 protesters surrounded the facility, ‘many carrying anti-ICE signs and Antifa flags’ and blocked all entries and exits.

The spokesperson defended the treatment of those detained at the detention facility. 

Protesters demonstrate in front of ICE officers outside Delaney Hall in Newark

‘All detainees are provided with three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries,’ adding that dieticians evaluate those meals.

They also said that those detained can communicate with family members and lawyers and called the conditions better than most American prisons.  

‘It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody. This includes medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. For many illegal aliens this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives.’

Last year, Democrat Congresswoman LaMonica McIver was indicted over a brawl with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents outside the same detention facility.

McIver, who was among the New Jersey representatives at the facility on Monday, was slapped with federal charges alleging she impeded and interfered with immigration officers as they sought to arrest Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

The Congresswoman, who announced last week that she’s pregnant with her second child, is currently appealing a federal judge’s refusal to dismiss those charges. Her next court date is set for June 23.    

Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility along an industrial stretch of Newark Bay, opened May 1, 2025, according to the private prison company that operates the center. 

The Trump administration’s announcement of its opening came amid a headline-grabbing crackdown on immigration around the country and as it ramped up its efforts to deport certain immigrants.

Kim gestures as law enforcement officers detain a demonstrator

Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility along an industrial stretch of Newark Bay, opened May 1, 2025, according to the private prison company that operates the center

The situation is playing out in Newark and in federal court as the mayor litigates against the company running the facility. 

The city says it shouldn’t be open yet because of building permit issues. 

The conflict underscores the divide between what Trump views as an election mandate to deport people not lawfully in the US, and Democratic officials who question the administration’s methods as well as the necessity of cracking down.

The gray, two-story building next to a county prison operated as a halfway house before a February 2025 announcement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement that it and the GEO Group, which runs Delaney Hall, reached a $1billion, 15-year deal for a detention center there.

The new facility sparked pushback from immigrants rights groups and the mayor in particular. 

Baraka sued GEO Group soon after the deal between the company and ICE was announced. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents maintain a crowd of protesters and press

DHS said that on Sunday, around 125 protesters surrounded the facility, ‘many carrying anti-ICE signs and Antifa flags’ and blocked all entries and exits

He said at the time the facility lacks the proper city permits in order to open, including a certificate of occupancy.

Florida-based GEO Group said the mayor is politicizing the situation and that city officials didn’t object when the Obama administration operated the facility as an ICE processing center.

Christopher Ferreira, a company spokesperson, said via a statement that the facility is creating ‘hundreds of unionized jobs, with an average annual salary of $105,000, and is expected to contribute $50 million to the local Newark economy.’

In legal filings, the company has argued there’s no legal standing for the city to seek a preliminary injunction based on the ‘purported violations of city codes.’

A dog accidentally fired a shotgun inside a truck at a Nebraska gas station on Saturday, causing a shot to ring out and injure a woman in a nearby vehicle, as reported by local authorities.

The unusual event occurred just after noon when the truck stopped at Short Stop, a gas station and convenience store located at 2002 Avenue I, according to a report by KNOP.

The Scottsbluff Police Department stated that the dog was left in the vehicle while the owner went inside the store. A passenger who had been riding with them also exited the vehicle but remained near the front passenger-side door.

During this time, the dog is said to have moved around in the back seat area, accidentally activating a shotgun that was stored there. The firearm, which had a round in the chamber, discharged, as noted by the authorities.

LOUISIANA FATHER WITH ‘HEART OF GOLD’ DIES AFTER RIFLE ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGES DURING HUNTING TRIP

A general view of a Nebraska gas station where a dog accidentally triggered a loaded shotgun inside a vehicle. (Google Maps)

The blast reportedly passed through the vehicle’s front passenger-side door, traveled out of the parking lot, and struck a woman who was stopped at a nearby traffic light several yards away.

Police said a shotgun pellet struck the upper portion of her right arm, which was resting out the window at the time, according to KNOP.

Her injuries were not considered life-threatening, and a family member transported her to Regional West Medical Center for treatment, the outlet added.

7-YEAR-OLD INJURES HAND AFTER ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGING FIREARM IN MARYLAND CLASSROOM

A dog sits inside a red vehicle on Jan. 23, 2021. (Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

No other injuries were reported.

Police said the incident was initially reported as involving a BB gun, but responding officers were later informed that it involved a shotgun, according to the outlet.

The Scottsbluff Police Department is investigating after a dog accidentally discharged a shotgun while inside a truck parked at a convenience store in Nebraska on May 23, 2026. (Scottsbluff Police Department)

Investigators also noted damage to the vehicle’s passenger-side door consistent with a shotgun blast, KNOP added.

The Scottsbluff Police Department will continue to investigate the incident.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Scottsbluff Police Department for more information.

Before the final buzzer sounded, Charles Barkley wasted no time criticizing the Cavaliers during their season-ending defeat, which secured the Knicks’ spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

The Cavaliers kicked off Monday’s elimination match with promise, but ultimately fell to the Knicks’ dominance, resulting in a 130-93 blowout at Rocket Arena.

The game seemed decided even before halftime, prompting Barkley to criticize Cleveland’s apparent lack of effort.

“Kids at home, if you want to understand the meaning of the word ‘quit’: to give up. The verb form: CA-VA-LI-ERS,” he remarked during the halftime segment on “Inside the NBA.” “This is what you see… They were down 29. This is just effort here. This is just effort.”

To emphasize his point, Barkley had the producers showcase clips illustrating the Cavaliers’ lackluster performance.

“How do you give up 23 fastbreak points in a half?” Barkley asked. “Players aren’t going to say they quit, but you know what shows? Their actions.

“Lisa [Salters] and Malika [Andrews] were talking about [Cavs players] saying they believe. Well, I believed they were going to get their ass whooped and that’s what’s going to happen.”

The “Inside the NBA” crew didn’t stop there either. 

After the loss, Kenny Smith said that he believed the Cavaliers “took a step backwards because it showed what you’re vulnerable to, to everyone else in the Eastern Conference.”

Smith added that the Cavaliers needed to change their offensive identity for Cleveland to take that step. 

“[The Cavs ] also took a step backwards because it showed what you’re vulnerable to, to everyone else in the Eastern Conference.”

Kenny Smith believes Cleveland needs to change their identity to be able to compete for a title ✍️ pic.twitter.com/zOY1LbyBvU

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 26, 2026

The comment was in response to comments from Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who has taken plenty of criticism this series for not using timeouts in Game 1 as the Knicks mounted a historic comeback, and comments about how the Cavaliers were winning games in an analytical sense.

The New York Knicks are set to compete in their first NBA Finals in nearly three decades, having decisively swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In a crucial Game 4 held in Cleveland on Monday night, the Cavaliers were unable to mount any significant resistance, succumbing to the Knicks in a resounding defeat.

With an impressive 130-93 victory at Rocket Arena, New York, supported by a contingent of celebrity fans who traveled from the city, secured their place in the Finals.

This achievement marks the Knicks’ first appearance in the NBA’s championship series since 1999.

Even though the series concluded away from home, the Knicks’ success ignited celebrations throughout New York City.

An army of NYPD officers had descended on Madison Square Garden long before the final whistle blew back in Cleveland in anticipation of the mayhem that would unravel outside the iconic Manhattan arena.  

The New York Knicks are heading to their first NBA Finals in 27 years after a Game 4 win

The Knicks ran riot to a 130-93 victory to sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East 

Fans flocked to MSG, sparking wild scenes as they celebrated the long-awaited end of their team’s Finals exile.

Seventh and Eighth Avenues were a picture of mayhem outside the iconic Manhattan arena as fans gathered under the watchful eye of the host of cops guarding the doors.

Many had brought brooms with them – a brutal dig at the Cavaliers for being swept – shaking them in the air as they chanted, ‘Let’s go Knicks.’

A cluster of particularly reckless fans climbed on to the top of the subway entrance at West 34th Street, precariously jumping up and down. 

In an increasingly dangerous move, one member of the crew dramatically swept his broom side to side, inching closer and closer to the edge of the platform. 

One fan, dressed in a SpiderMan costume, clambered to the top of a lamp post, waving a Knicks fan back and forth as he teetered on a narrow ledge. 

Meanwhile, those who had soaked up the action from Radio City Hall, where an official watch party had been hosted, also spilled out onto the streets, sending the heart of New York City into a frenzy.

Elsewhere in the five boroughs, car horns provided the evening soundtrack for the city that never sleeps. 

Fans flocked to MSG, sparking wild scenes as they celebrated the dominant result 

A host of NYPD officers carefully watched on as they guarded the doors to the iconic arena 

Karl Anthony-Towns, pictured driving to the basket, had 19 points and 14 rebounds

In Brooklyn, a crowd blocked an entire intersection in Fort Greene as they threw a spontaneous block party, blasting music from speakers they had dragged onto the street. 

The Knicks were an unstoppable force on the court, by as many as 29 in the first half and were up 68-49 at halftime. It was the fourth time this postseason the Knicks were up by at least 19 after 24 minutes.

Unbelievably, their dominance only grew in the second half with them extending the gap to 45 points in the fourth quarter – the largest lead of the game.

Karl Anthony-Towns had 19 points and 14 rebounds, while OG Anunoby scored 17 to see the Knicks rout the Cavaliers.

Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench while Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson had 15 apiece for the Knicks.

Brunson, who has shone throughout the Knicks’ dominant playoff run, was unanimously named Eastern Conference Finals MVP – to no surprise.

The guard appeared emotional as he was awarded the Larry Bird Trophy by ESPN’s Lisa Salters.

With the victory, New York became the fourth team to have an 11-game winning streak during their postseason run.

New York was backed by its host of famous fans, including Timothee Chalamet 

The Marty Supreme star had made the journey to Ohio to cheer on his beloved team 

Jalen Brunson appeared emotional as he was awarded the Eastern Conference Finals MVP 

The last to do it was Golden State, which had a 15-game run en route to its second title in three seasons in 2017.

The Knicks pulled their starters with 7:47 remaining and a 35-point lead as their large contingent of fans loudly chanted ‘Knicks in four!’ 

Based on the decibel level and ‘Let’s Go Knicks!’ chants throughout the game, New York fans seemed to have made the journey, even outnumbering Clevelanders, who are holding out hope that the Cavs can somehow overcome an 0-3 deficit in the series.

Among the New York A-list celebrities on hand were former Knicks players Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier and Allan Houston.

New York will play the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the Finals. The Western Conference finals is tied at two games apiece with Game 5 to be played in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. 

The Thunder or Spurs will have homecourt advantage when the Finals start on June 3 because of a better regular-season record. 

This will be the Knicks third appearance in the Finals since winning their last title in 1973. They lost in seven games to Houston in 1994 and in five to San Antonio in 1999.

It is the 15th time since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 that a coach has reached the finals in his first year with a team. The Knicks hired Mike Brown after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau after they reached the Eastern Conference finals last year, but lost in six games to Indiana.

It will be Brown’s second trip to the Finals as a coach. His last trip was with Cleveland in 2007.

Donovan Mitchell had 31 points for Cleveland, which was swept in a postseason series for the first time since the 2018 NBA Finals against Golden State.

Donovan Mitchell had 31 points for Cleveland but wasn’t enough to prevent the defeat 

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson appears concerned on the bench in the third quarter

Mitchell scored the Cavaliers first eight points as they jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Cleveland led for most of the first six minutes before New York took control.

Evan Mobley’s putback dunk gave the Cavaliers a 17-14 advantage before the Knicks scored nine straight points.

A floater by Mitchell got Cleveland within 30-26 with 2:12 remaining in the first quarter when New York went on a 20-0 run over a five-minute span. The Knicks were 8 of 14 from the field, including four 3-pointers. The bench scored 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers by Shamet. The seventh-year guard was 11 of 12 from beyond the arc during the series.

Cleveland was 0 for 9 from the field during its drought, including missing all three shots from beyond the arc, and committed four turnovers.

On Monday, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced that American military forces launched “defensive strikes” in southern Iran. This development comes amid ongoing efforts to resolve tensions between the United States, Israel, and Tehran.

These military actions were aimed at safeguarding U.S. personnel from threats posed by Iranian forces, particularly regarding attempts by Iranian boats to deploy mines and establish missile launch sites, according to Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for Centcom, as reported by The Hill.

“U.S. Central Command remains committed to protecting our forces while exercising restraint during the current ceasefire,” Hawkins stated.

Earlier in the day, Reuters noted reports of explosions in the city of Bandar Abbas and surrounding coastal areas near the strategic Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran.

Since April 7, the U.S. and Iran have maintained a ceasefire. Although there have been a few minor incidents over the past month, none have breached the ceasefire agreement.

A memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washingon has emerged, though it has not been finalized. If agreed to, the Strait of Hormuz would open to allow roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil to flow once again and all hostilities would end.

Global gas prices have skyrocketed since the conflict erupted in late February. The national average for gas in the U.S. is $4.50 as of Monday, according to AAA.

President Trump on Monday said negotiations were “proceeding nicely,” describing the possible agreement as “a Great Deal for all.” He later suggested two outcomes for Iran’s enriched uranium.

“The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, being witness to this process and event,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump and administration officials have long maintained that Iran must not create or possess nuclear weapons. The regime has insisted that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes. 

Filip Timotija contributed to this report. Updated at 8:20 p.m. EDT